Do not get me wrong; I am not going to suggest that dating a coworker would be a bed of roses. And we have probably all heard advice about not mixing work with pleasure. But I can see the flip side of this too. For instance, have you ever wished that your partner understood you better?
Our work takes a big chunk of our time and also forms a part of our identity. So who better to understand that part of you than someone who treads the same career path? Here are a few reasons why dating a coworker is not such a bad idea.
Table of contents:
- You understand each other’s work stress
- You understand each other’s schedule
- “How was your day?” has so much more context
- You can go to the company parties together
- You have a common enemy in the big, bad boss
1. You understand each other’s work stress
There are few things more alienating in a relationship than not feeling heard. When your partner does not understand your stress, this can really contribute to the feelings of being misunderstood. Someone who does the same work as you will undoubtedly be more on your wavelength around your work issues.
2. You understand each other’s schedule
Shift workers who date 9 to 5 ‘ers can struggle to see eye to eye in my experience. And it absolutely goes both ways. If you work shift patterns, then the weekends and weekdays all blend together. And do not even get me started on the misery of night shifts. If you and your partner are both shift workers, although you might not be on the same shift pattern, you will totally understand each other’s needs here.
More: To the Girl Who Has Never Been in Love
3. “How was your day?” has so much more context
This almost needs no explanation at all. Being asked about your day by someone who knows what you are talking about is so much more gratifying. Certain jobs come with jargon and assumed knowledge. It is often more fulfilling to offload a bad day onto colleagues because they already speak the same language and you do not have to waste valuable decompression time translating that for someone.
4. You can go to the company parties together
Basically, free food and drink, together! Office parties where partners are not invited are fine, but you are going home alone at the end of the night. And then there are the parties where everyone brings their other half, and hours of awkward introductions ensue.
Imagine the ease of turning up to the party with your plus one already being a part of the social circle. Awesome!
5. You have a common enemy in the big, bad boss
Having a common enemy is definitely something that bonds people. I know so many friends of mine have complained to me in the past that their partner does not fully listen, let alone understand when they talk about their work issues. How great would it be to talk to someone who really gets it because he knows first hand?
More: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself When Dealing with a Defensive Partner
There is no perfect answer for where to find your ideal partner. Of course, there are far too many variables involved.
But what I am saying is this: do not let the fact that someone is a colleague put you off if you really feel a connection there. There might be issues with working together. But there are always silver linings too if you look for them.
